Photo credit: Liubov Maliuchenko, Ukraine Logistics Cluster
In the ever-demanding world of humanitarian response, logistics is often the unsung hero - the quiet force that keeps the wheels turning. In 2024, Ukraine Logistics Cluster delivered five of Logistics Cluster Induction (LCI) trainings across Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro and Mykolaiv, equipping 105 humanitarians from 49 organisations with the skills and knowledge to strengthen the humanitarian logistics response. These efforts did not just impart knowledge - they laid the foundation for a stronger, more resilient logistics humanitarian response.
But let’s rewind a little. Back in 2023, partners started voicing a common concern: their logistics personnel needed better skills to navigate the increasing complexity of delivering aid effectively, which was also confirmed by the results of 2023 Annual Gaps and Needs Analysis (GNA). Recognizing this need, the Logistics Cluster added capacity strengthening as one of its main activities, along with its core functions of coordination, information management and common services facilitation.
The first LCI training kicked off in February 2024, with two sessions in Kyiv and invaluable support from the Global Logistics Cluster team, who traveled to Ukraine to co-facilitate the training with Ukraine operation colleagues. These sessions were not typical classroom training - they were dynamic, hands-on, and focused on theory and practical aspects.
Photo credit: Liubov Maliuchenko, Ukraine Logistics Cluster
The momentum built quickly. In March, another training was held in Odesa for southern hub partners, followed shortly by a fourth session in April in Dnipro for those responding in the east. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, yet a new insight emerged: many national organisations, especially those operating in frontline oblasts were being left behind due to language and available resources.
Photo credit: Iryna Prodan, Ukraine Logistics Cluster
To address this gap, the cluster launched a second series of LCI trainings - this time in Ukrainian. The first Ukrainian-language LCI training in Mykolaiv was a defining moment. Designed to engage and empower local organisations, this training was not just about learning logistics, it was about building resilience where it is needed most and raising awareness of the humanitarian architecture, both in Ukraine and globally, as well as the Cluster approach, including how each humanitarian organisation has a role in contributing to the cluster's functions.
Due to the present security risk in Mykolaiv, the training took place in a shelter generously offered by Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). Participants praised the engaging delivery, creative methods, and practical insights, appreciated the use of visual aids, simulations, and interactive discussions that made complex concepts of humanitarian architecture and the Cluster approach accessible.
The satisfaction of participants speaks volumes. An impressive 98.5% of attendees stated they would recommend the LCI training to their colleagues, underscoring its practical value and relevance. As a part of localisation agenda, 96% of participants were national staff, out of which 21% represented national non-governmental organisations (NNGOs), highlighting the cluster’s commitment to support and empower national humanitarian actors and ensuring frontline responders are equipped to face and address the logistics challenges head-on.
Following the success in Mykolaiv, the next LCI training is headed to Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city which lies close to the frontline. The announcement, made at a recent coordination meeting attended by over 75 participants from Kharkiv region and east, underscored the growing demand for these capacity-building efforts. Scheduled for 19-20 February 2025, this training will bring together different humanitarian organisations: UN, INGO and NNGO and also the cluster team from Kyiv, Dnipro, and Odesa will join forces to deliver an impactful training to organisations working in the Kharkiv region one of the most challenging environments.
Looking Ahead:
As the Ukraine Logistics Cluster looks toward 2025, the focus of capacity building is not just about expanding LCI trainings. The cluster is working to launch new training programs that dive deeper into specialized areas of humanitarian logistics, addressing the evolving needs and challenges of partners in Ukraine.
The Logistics Cluster’s commitment to coordinate humanitarian logistics response and support humanitarian organisations on the ground is evident in every step of this journey. Having trained 105 humanitarians from 49 organisations in 2024 to exploring bold new ideas for 2025, the cluster continues to push boundaries to respond and address the arising logistics-related needs of the humanitarian community.
These efforts go beyond training - they focus on empowering organisations, facilitating access to resource sharing, fostering collaborations, and avoiding duplication of efforts, by ensuring that humanitarian organisations, regardless of size and type, can deliver life-saving aid to the affected population.
Stay tuned as the journey unfolds. In Kharkiv and beyond, the Logistics Cluster is proving that capacity-strengthening is more than a technical necessity – it is the backbone of a resilient humanitarian logistics response.
Check out the photo compilation in the video below ⤵️
Photo credit: Liubov Maliuchenko, Ukraine Logistics Cluster